


A Dragon Raised by Wolves

by WhiteNeedleFox



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Jon Snow is Not Called Aegon, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, Jon Snow runs away, Jon is not a bastard, Sibling Bonding, direwolves, neither is Egg, young griff is aegon, young griff is not a blackfyre
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:08:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26382418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteNeedleFox/pseuds/WhiteNeedleFox
Summary: While hiding from the Lady Stark before Robert's arrival Jon overhears a conversation about his mother, and his father. Learning that he is not the bastard son Eddard Stark, Jon decides that he cannot remain at Winterfell. Running away to Essos he encounters some trouble and gets injured.
Relationships: Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark, Elia Martell/Rhaegar Targaryen, Lyanna Stark/Rhaegar Targaryen, TO BE DETERMINED - Relationship
Comments: 22
Kudos: 74





	1. Jon 1

Jon could never seem to get on the good side of Lady Stark, his Lord father’s wife hating his very existence, the only stain upon his father's honor and proof of him straying from his wife. The Bastard of Winterfell never went out of his way to cross paths with the Lady, but he now out right tried to avoid her. Word had come a fortnight ago, the King was coming and Winterfell needed to be ready for his party’s arrival. 

The Lady of Winterfell had taken on the task with a firm tenacity. The former Tully seemed to go on a warpath as she made sure that everything was up to her standards making her tolerance of him, which was low to begin with, almost non existent in the time since the letter arrived. Hence why Jon had taken to becoming as scarce as possible, and the reason he found himself in the yard that led to the Winterfell crypts with only his direwolf pup, Ghost, for company. 

The young brunette had no intention of entering the final resting place for the Lords of Winterfell, only coming her to be out of the Lady’s way, but it appeared that his canine companion had other ideas. 

“Ghost, Come!” Jon tried to call back his direwolf, but Ghost wouldn’t listen to his command and only ventured deeper into the dark cavern below. Jon hesitated before he followed after his wayward wolf. 

Jon had never liked the crypts. He always felt like he was intruding whenever he entered with his siblings. This was the place meant for Robb or his father, not a bastard with no true name. Still he went down all the same, calling out to Ghost as he went. Trying to gather him quickly and get out of the cold, dark tunnel as soon as possible. 

When he finally caught up to Ghost he was sitting at the feet of one of the statutes. Jon sighed in exasperation, frustrated that his pup led him on a goose chase. “Ghost, we are not supposed to be down here.” He scolded as he lifted the white furred wolf into his arms. Jon was just about to head back towards the entrance when the sound of footsteps echoed from the direction he had come. Panicking, Jon scrambled behind the closet statue, the one his father had commissioned for his aunt Lyanna and prayed to the old Gods that whoever had entered the crypts wouldn’t spot him. 

“-right to know!” 

“It’s too dangerous. If word were to get back to Robert he would kill the boy on the spot.” 

Even before they came into the sight Jon recognized the voice of the two speakers, and Jon knew that this was not a conversation he should be overhearing. 

Benjen Stark glared at his older brother. 

“Jon is determined to Join the Night’s Watch Ned, and I am running out of excuses to tell the boy. Nothing I say will dissuade him.”

“The Watch is an honorable-”

The younger Stark cut him off before he could finish that sentence. 

“Do you think Lyanna would want her son to dedicate his life to the Night’s Watch?! To live out the rest of his life on the Wall?”

It was Ned Stark's turn to glare at his brother. 

“I promised Lya that I would protect her son! In that room that smelt of blood and roses I gave her my word that I would not let Robert harm her and Rheagar’s child! If Jon does decide to go to the Wall he would be safe.”

Behind the statue Jon’s eyes widened and he could feel the air leave his lungs. His head spun as the revelation buzzed in his ears and he felt faint, the rest of his uncle's conversation drowned out by the boy’s swirling thoughts. 

His mother was not some random whore or serving wench that Lord Stark met while at war. It wasn’t even Ashard Dayne, the woman they said his father fell in love with at Harrenhall. No, his mother was none other than Lyanna Stark, the woman he had always thought to be his aunt. 

Joy and anger began to war within Jon. Joy at finally knowing who his mother was, and anger at his father for having hid it from him for so long. His thoughts then came to a halt. His father-Lord Eddard Stark was not his father. He was his uncle. The man had so himself not just a moment ago. His real father was Rhaegar Targaryen. 

What did that make him? Was he still a Snow? Or was he a Waters or a Sand? Crownland bastards were called Waters, but if he had been born in the Tower of Joy, where his uncle found his mother, he would have been born in Dorne. Dornish bastards were named Sand. He didn’t even want to think about the possibility of himself being a Blackfyre. 

Vaguely he heard the sound of his uncles leaving, but it seemed like hours afterward before he could pull himself from his hiding place. Thoughts still swirling, Jon slowly made his way out of the crypt and towards the Great Keep. 

“What’s with the long face Snow?” 

Jon started at the voice of his half-brother -or was it cousin?-Robb. 

“I..It’s nothing Stark. Just thinking how I’m going to beat you in the next practice match.” 

Robb looked as if he didn’t believe him, his blue Tully eyes narrowing in suspicion, before a grin broke out on his face. Robb knew that Jon was prone to brooding, and while he probably still didn’t believe Jon, he was willing to drop the subject. 

“Not a chance. I’m going to beat you this time. Just you watch.” 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sparring with Robb had been a welcome distraction. It helped clear his thoughts and focus on the present, and Jon had beaten the Stark heir in two out of three bouts -though Robb had been close to disarming him in the second. 

It wasn’t until he was back in his rooms and getting ready for dinner that the thoughts from earlier returned. He tried to shove them out of his head, he tried to act normal when he sat with his siblings, and tried to ignore the glare Lady Stark was giving him as he entered the room. 

A part of him couldn’t help but wonder how she would have treated him had he been raised a cousin to the Stark children, and not the bastard of her husband. The thought left a sour taste in his mouth for both him and the Lady. 

“Benjen tells me that you wish to join the Night’s Watch.” 

The sound of his uncle's voice startled Jon, and his head whipped about to face him. Though when his eyes met his uncle's grey eyes he looked down towards the table. 

“Yes, I-I had thought to go with Uncle Benjen when he left. I am good with a sword after all.” Better than Robb, though he dared not mention that fact in front of the Lady Catelyn. 

“That is a good idea. He should leave with your brother now before the King arrives, Ned. It would be an insult to the King and his party should he remain in Winterfell.”

Arya glared at her mother for her words, while Robb looked at his mother in displeasure. Both of them were upset by their mother's words towards their half-brother, Jon meanwhile had to bite his tongue before he said anything about what he had overheard earlier. Lord Stark meanwhile just looked at his wife. 

“Benjen is not returning to the Wall until after the Kings visit. He spoke to me of wanting an audience with Robert while he is here. If Jon decides he wants to join the Night’s Watch in that time, I will not prevent him from going.”

Dinner became a quiet affair after that, though for Jon the air suddenly became suffocating and felt more relieved than ever when it finally came to an end. 

He couldn’t stay here, he had come to that conclusion during dinner. He couldn’t stay in Winterfell knowing the truth about his parents. Not only was it dangerous for him if he were to accidentally let something about it slip, but he also couldn’t remain with Lord Stark any further. The anger at his hiding the truth was still there even though he knew he had only done it to protect him. 

He needed to leave as soon as possible.


	2. Ned 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon disappearance told from Ned's POV.

A summer snow had fallen during the night, painting the yard and roofs of Winterfell a blinding white. While summer snows were nott uncommon in the north, this storm had seemed to be heavier than other drift’s for the past ten years. 

Ned watched from the covered bridge as Bran and Arya threw balls of snow at one another. A little further up the yard he spotted Robb and Theon, Robb’s grey direwolf pup sitting at his feet, talking with Ser Rodrik. Ned looked for the darker head of hair near the older boys in search of Jon, but was unable to spot him or his white direwolf pup. 

Strange, he would have thought that Jon would want to spend time with Robb. Though perhaps with what Catelyn said last night at supper the boy had decided to make himself scarce, as the boy had started doing since Robert’s letter came. 

“What’s got you looking so dour?”

The voice of Benjen pulled Ned out of his observations. His younger brother smiled as he joined him on the covered balcony. His own grey as surveying the scene Ned was just looking at. 

“They look like Lyanna and I, back when we were children. You were off at the Eyrie, and Brandon was doing who knew what, but Lyanna and I would play in the summer snow.”

“I do not see Jon.” 

The words slipped out of Ned’s mouth before he realized he spoke them. Perhaps it was Ben’s casual mention of their sister, neither one of the surviving Stark siblings ever spoke often of their lost siblings, even to each other. The feeling of pain and guilt to raw even after all these years. 

“I’m sure he’s around here somewhere, he’s probably just holed himself in his chambers. The lad can brood even better than you, Ned.”

The two brother’s soon parted ways as maester Luwin came to find his lord, several raven scrolls held in his hand from northern houses that were helping to prepare for the king’s visit. 

\-------------------

Ned yawned as he made his way through the halls of Winterfell, and towards the great hall. It had been a long day, going over documents and making the last minute decisions in regards to Robert’s impending visit, and he hadn’t had the chance to meet with anyone but Benjen yet today. 

When he entered he saw his family-minus Jon-already digging into the spread of meats and cheeses. The sight of Jon missing was not unusual, Jon would often request to eat in his chambers when he was trying to avoid Catelyn, but Ned couldn’t help but feel uneasy after not being able to spot the boy this morning.

Before he could take his seat however, he was approached by Hullen, Rodrick, and to his surprise, Benjen. 

“My Lord, may I speak with you?” Ser Rodrick asked as he approached his liege lord. 

Ned nodded, curiosity and apprehension warring within him as he wondered why these men needed to speak with him.

“It’s about your bastard, Jon Snow.” 

Rodrick began, and Ned could feel the blood turn to ice in his veins. What about Jon?

“He didn’t arrive for his sword lessons this afternoon.” 

“Then you should have gone and fetched him then.” 

“I did, however I was not able to locate the boy in his chambers and no one has seen him or that direwolf pup of his since last night.” 

“It’s not only that, my lord.” Hullen cut in when Ser Rodik paused. “Jon’s horse, the grey destrier you gifted him for his name day a few years back has also gone missing.”

Fear started building up in Ned's chest. Why would Jon leave Winterfell? It didn’t make sense, unless he was trying to avoid Catelyn perhaps? 

“My wife made some comments to the boy last night, perhaps the boy simply left to avoid her. Send someone you trust to locate the boy and bring him back home.”

Both men nodded and left to complete the task, but Venjen remained behind. Fixing Ned with a serious look. 

“We need to talk, Ned. Privitaly.” 

\-----------------------

Ned sat behind his desk in his solar as he regarded his younger brother carefully. Whatever Benjen wanted to speak to him about was obviously important, and sensitive enough that he wanted to meet with Ned in his solar. 

The man himself had adopted a more serious expression. Gone was the playful, younger brother and in its place was the face of a sworn brother of the Night’s Watch. 

“After our conversation this morning I went looking for Jon. He wasn’t in his chambers, so I went wandering around Winterfell, thinking he may have gone to the Gods' wood. However I ran into Robb before I got there, and he told me he saw Jon yesterday coming back from the broken tower yesterday.”

That confused Ned. 

“Why would he have been at the tower?”

“He wasn’t at the tower, Ned. I checked the area to see if Jon had gone there again today, however I was not able to find a trace of him there. I did find four sets of prints leading to and from the crypts, three men and the prints of a dog. All three end at Lyanna’s statue. ”

Four sets of footprints? A dog? Lyanna’s statue? The blood drained from Ned’s face as he collapsed in his chair. The implication of Ben’s words echoing in the Lord of Winterfell’s brain. Jon had been in the crypt, and it was possible that he had overheard their conversation. 

No, Ned shook his head, he must have overheard their conversation. Ned could remember that Jon had been quiet and withdrawn at supper last night, more so than usual when he looked back on it, and Ned chalked it up to Ben denying him the opportunity to join the Night’s Watch again. 

Ned laughed bitterly. 

“Looks like you got your wish, Jon knows now.” 

Grey eyes like steel blades glared at Ned. 

“I wanted Jon to know, but I wanted you to be the one to tell him!”

“It was too dangerous! Jon was too young to understand the danger the information of his parents is! Robert is one his way to the North, Benjen, if Jon had let it slip by accident it could lead to war!” 

“Well he knows now, what will you do?”

The anger that fueled his previous words seemed to rush out of him at the question. 

“Jon needs to be found, of that there is no question. I will send a rider to the neck, have them locate the crannogman to deliver a message to Howland. I will have Jon stay at Greywater Watch.”

\-------------------- 

Ned hadn’t left his solar since he spoke to Benjen, the younger Stark leaving in a foul mood. Wishing he could go after Jon himself, but knowing that his vows prevented him from interfering. 

Frantic knocking on his solar door caused Ned to stir from his seat. Not knowing who would wish to speak to him, and was surprised to find Arya on the other end. Grey Stark eyes looking at him in worry and fear. 

“Has mother sent Jon away?” She asked. Her tone was both questioning and accusing. 

Ned sighed. He had not yet had the chance to speak with any of his children about their half-brothers disappearance, not knowing how to explain why his brother would run away from Winterfell in the middle of the night. 

“Has mother sent Jon away?” She repeated when Ned didn’t answer her soon enough. “I haven’t been able to find him all day, and he promised he would meet me in the Godswood today and he never showed up!”

“Jon has left Winterfell.” He told his youngest daughter. “Your mother did not send him away. Your uncle and I believe we may know why he left, but we want to speak to him ourselves before we say anything.” He paused. Not wanting to tell Arya that her brother may not be returning. “There may be a possibility that he has left to join the Night’s Watch.”

Arya’s eyes widened, before contorting into an angry expression. 

“No! Jon wouldn’t leave to join the Night’s Watch without telling me goodbye! Mother must have sent him away!” She shouted at him. “You’re wrong! He’s not gone! He’s-”

Arya’s voice broke as tears started to fall from her eyes, and Ned quickly pulled her into an embrace. His daughter latched onto her father's cloak as she cried into his chest. 

\-----------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next will either be another Jon POV chapter or an Arya chapter. If you have a preference let me know in the comments!


	3. Jon 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While traveling from Winterfell Jon runs into Robert's party.

Travelling by one’s self was harder than Jon had imagined it being. He had never Winterfell on his own before, always accompanied by either his father or his men whenever he left the Northern castle. He also had no idea where he was traveling to. The first couple of days after he had left Winterfell all he had wanted was to put as much distance between it and himself as possible. Only stopping to rest his horse and nibble on the hard bread and cheese he packed for the journey. 

With no real plan in mind Jon had simply traveled south from Winterfell, he had thoughts to travel down the King’s Road and maybe visit some of the other lands,but dismissed that idea almost immediately. King Robert had been on his way to Winterfell to see his father, no Lord Stark, he had to remind himself. His next thought was to take a ship from White Harbor to wherever he ended up going. 

When night came upon him for the third day he finally allowed himself to try and get a few minutes of sleep. This however turned out to be a tougher task to accomplish then he thought. The ground was cold and hard, covered by a blanket of summer snow that would soak through his cloak if he tried to lay upon it. He tried to look for a sheltered area, somewhere that would have been protected by the elements. 

He found such a spot under a grove of ironwood trees. The branches creating a ceiling of wood and leaves that had prevented the snow from gathering. It was still cold and damp, but it was far better than trying to sleep out in the open. 

He tied his horse to one of the trees and began to remove the saddle bag. It would make his horse more comfortable while they rested and give him something to lay his head on while he slept. However he quickly found that sleep would not come that easily to him. The wood around him gave him a foreboding feeling, and the young man felt as if he was being watched. Constantly grabbing at the sword that lay near him as he listened to the sounds of the forest. 

In the distance he could hear the call of a nightbird, stalking its prey as it glided almost silently through the trees. Closer he could hear the rustling of the undergrowth as unknown creatures moved about around him. Ghost was curled up next to Jon’s head. The direwolves' red eyes were closed, his breaths steady even as his ears twitched in the direction of the sound. 

Jon tried to take this as a sign that he was not in any immediate danger, confident that his companion would alert him if there were any, and tried to get some rest. 

\----------------------

He was making good time on his journey to White Harbor, he knew at some point he would need to either find a way to either sail down or cross the White Knife, a large river that ran throughout the North, but for now he was enjoying his journey south and he would deal with that problem when he got closure. 

In hindsight Jon came to realize he should have stuck to game trails instead of travelling down the King’s Road. He had thought that it would be the quickest way to his destination, and hearing from his father the size of the party the King was travelling with, he had assumed he would be well away from the main road and that he would miss Robert’s party altogether. This was not to be however. 

Jon heard them before he saw them. The sounds of hundreds of horses hooves sounding like thunder as they travelled quickly over the land towards him. Jon was unsure of what he should do. Should he get off the trail and make his way to White Harbor by cutting through the forest? Would the king's men think that he was a threat to the king if he did? Thinking that he may be some thief or cutthroat that did not wish to be seen by the king? 

In the end the choice was taken from him as he took too long to decide. From around a bend of trees came the first riders of the party. Knights, for that is what Jon thought the men to be, were dressed in black and yellow or crimson and gold. Crowned Stag banners flowing behind them as they rode. Just behind them he could see two men dressed in pure white armour, a crowned stag also adorned their armour. Members of King Robert’s Kings Guard. 

Jon quickly got off the path, giving way to let the men ride past him, however the men quickly came to a stop before him. This confused Jon, surely they wouldn’t stop because of him. A sick feeling of dread filled Jon’s stomach ast a thought came to his mind. What if they were stopping because word of his departure reached the king? What if the King tried to force him to go back to Winterfell? 

His fears were slightly alleviated when he saw that a great wheelhouse, larger than any he had ever seen in his fourteen years, followed after the riders. One of the large wheels seemed to be on its last legs, and it was now clear that the party had come to a halt in order to replace it with a spare that was likely prepared for this journey. 

“You seem to be a little young to be traveling alone, lad.”

The voice startled Jon, who’s attention had been on the wheelhouse and had noticed the knight's approach. Grey eyes widened in awe as he took in the man who spoke to him. He was an older man, probably close to an age with Ser Rodrik, with white hair and sad blue eyes dressed in the white armour of the kingsguard. 

“I’m not traveling alone, My Lord.” 

Jon gestured down to his direwolf. Ghost was sitting by Jon’s feet and was looking at Ser Barristan with a curious look in his red colored eyes. Jon felt slight satisfaction when he saw the knight’s eyes widen in surprise as he took in Jon’s traveling companion. 

“I see, that’s an interesting pup you have there.”

“His name is Ghost.” 

The white direwolf tilted his head towards Jon at the sound of his name before refocusing his attention on Ser Barristan. 

“An adept name for the beast.”

Jon couldn’t help but feel awe at being able to talk to the knight in front of him. Ser Barristan was a legend, his accomplishments being known and respected even in the North, a land without knights. He could remember Bran excitedly telling him and Robb about how he was going to ask the knight to train him. Begging his father to allow him to ask to be the man's squire and train in King's Landing. 

The thought of Bran brought a wave of sadness and guilt. He hadn’t said goodbye to his siblings when he left, knowing that they would try to convince him to stay, and he couldn’t bring himself to look them in the eye when he knew the truth. That he wasn’t their brother. 

“What’s your name lad?” 

Ashamed at getting lost in thoughts when in the presence of such a person, Jon quickly shook his head to banish them. 

“Jon, My Lord.”

“Jon, hmm”

Ser Barristan looked at Jon, his pale blue eyes staring intently at Jon’s face, as though looking for something only the knight knew. The stare had Jon feeling uncomfortable, lowering his eyes to stare at the ground and shift his weight from foot to foot. Jon’s nervous action seemed to pull the Kingsguard out of his examination of Jon, and the knight gave Jon an apologetic smile. 

“I apologize for that Jon, you just seem to remind me of someone I once knew. Though that was years ago now.” 

Jon froze at the words. In his wonder at talking to the legendary figure he forgot that he was part of Aerys kingsguard before King Robert’s. He had served Prince Rhaegar when he had been Jon’s age, and having never met the man Jon had no way of knowing how much he took after him. He now knew he took after his mother in coloring, everyone always telling him how he had the Stark look, but how much of his looks were from the dragon prince?

Ser Barristan eyed the boy in concern as Jon’s face seemed to lose color, seeming to go incredibly pale. 

“Are you alright, lad?”

“I’m fine, My lord. Just a bit tired from traveling I think.”

The knight didn’t seem convinced. Still looking at him with concern, though a hint of suspicion now accompanied it.

“You are welcome to stay and rest if you’d like.” 

Jon was about to decline the offer, not wanting to stay so close to the king, but the look in Ser Barristan’s eyes told him that outright declining would not be the wisest course of action. Holding back a sigh of defeat, Jon accepted the knight’s offer.

\----------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this took forever to write. For some reason I just had a hard time coming up with things for this chapter. I knew I wanted him to run into Ser Barristan, and have the knight get suspicious, but I had no idea how I wanted that to go. 
> 
> Anyways, next chapter will probably be an Arya chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello All! This is my first story, and I will be honest I was not sure how I wanted the second half of this chapter to go. I am still looking for a beta reader for this fic, so if anyone is interested please let me know!


End file.
